Expansible hone



Feb. 23, 1943.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXPANSIBLE HONE David A. Wallace, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Original application Marcli 31, 1939, Serial No.

265,109. Divided and this application October 25, 1940, Serial No. 362,866

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to the art of flnishing surfaces such as cylindrical bores and comprises improvements in the structure of expansible hones and the means of operation thereof, the present disclosure being a division of my copending application, Serial No. 265,109, filed March 31, 1939, for Expansible hone.

The invention comprises an expansible honing tool including a plurality of abrading elements, the tool being so constructed and arranged that the diameter of the tool may be increased after insertion of the tool into a bore by the application of fluid pressure whereby the abrading elements are held against the surface of the bore under fluid pressure, and in which the diameter of the tool may be reduced automatically in response to the release of fluid pressure whereby the tool may be withdrawn from the bore and inserted in another bore to be finished. The invention comprises the use of resilient, fluid-impervious expanding members operated by fluid pressure whereby even pressure may be exerted against the abrading elements throughout the extent-of the work surface in order that a uniform finish may be accomplished. The principal object of the invention related above is achieved by simple, easily manufactured and assembled means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 discloses a preferred form of the invention embodied in this application as a divisional application of Serial No. 265,109; and,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing there is disclosed a core structure 60 comprising a stem 6|, a collar 62 affixed thereto, a body portion 63 keyed thereto by keys 64 and 65 and locked thereon by locking members 88, and mounting means 61 and 68 at either end of the body portion 63. The body portion 63 is provided with a plurality of radially extending arms 78, the outer ends of which are grooved to provide seats for resilient, fluid-impervious expanding members H extending longitudinally of the body portion. Each arm carries a mounting bar 12 which is slidably retained against the outer surface of the expander H by a plurality of garter springs 13, and each mounting bar provides a support for abrading elements 14 extending longitudinally of the tool. As shown in Fig. 1 the abrading elements 14 may be divided into longitudinal sections in order to provide ,spaces for intermediate garter springs 13. The upper and lower ends of the mounting members 12 are guided for radial sliding movement by guiding flanges 15 provided on the mounting means 61 and 68.

The collar 62 is provided with a plurality of passages 80 each of which communicates with an annular space 8| provided in the interior surface of a running ring 82 heldin position to surround the collar 62, and provided with an inlet connection 83 whereby fluid under pressure may be admitted to the interior of the core structure from a source of fluid pressure (not shown). Each of the passages 80 communicates with a nipple 85 to which is connected a short piece of flexible tubing 86, the other end of which is connected to a nipple 81 mounted upon the flange 81 and forming the outlets from the interior of the core structure. The interior of each nipple 81 communicates with the interior of each of the flexible, cylindrical expander members H whereby fluid under pressure may be admitted thereto.

The normal diameter of the tool is preferably slightly less than the internal diameter of the bore so that the tool may be inserted or removed. When in position fluid under pressure admitted through the inlet 8| causes expansion of the members ii and uniform radially outward movement of the abrading elements 14. The tool may be rotated and reciprocated to perform the honin function, and upon release of fluid pressure the garter springs 13 will cause contraction of the tool to its normal diameter.

The honing stones 14 are preferably long and narrow and formed of artificial material or natural stone commonly used for honing purposes. The stones may be adhered to the outer surfaces of the mounting bars 12 by any well-known process such as vulcanization. It is obvious that the degree of fineness of the material making up the honing stones may be varied without departing from my invention in order that different degrees of surface finishing may be accomplished.

The fluid-impervious expanding members ll may be formed of rubber or rubber-like, resilient material such as neoprene or Buna rubber, or any other such m'aterial having the desired char acteristics of being impervious or substantially impervious to the flow of fluids therethrough. Each of the expanders are connected to the same source of fluid pressure through the running gland, with the result that each will be expanded to the same extent and will exert the same degree of pressure throughout the length of each of the honing stones it. When the tool is in position the expanders II will be automatically contracted both by their own resiliency and by the pressure of the garter springs 13 thus permitting withdrawal oi the tool and insertion thereof into another cylindrical bore to be finished.

tudinally between portions of said core structure and one of said abrading element supporting members and each having full length contact on opposite sides with said core structure and the inner surface of said abrading element supporting member, abrading,elements carried by each of. said abrading element supportin members and extending radially outward therefrom, means to admit fluid under pressure from a common source into all 01' said expansible bags simultaneously comprising a running gland hav- Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention as embraced in this divisional form thereof, it should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of various modifications in arrangement and details. All such modifications as come within the scope of the following claims are considered a part of my invention. i

I claim:

1. An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising a rigid core structure, a pluralityof abrading element supporting members carried thereby and extending longitudinally thereof at circumferentially spaced positions, a plurality of resilient, fluid impervlous, expansible bags mounted on said core structure, each of said bags extending longitudinally between portions of said core structure and one of said abrading element supporting members and each having full'length contact on opposite sides with said core structure and the inner surface 01. said abrading element supporting member, abrading elements carried by each of said abrading element supporting members and extending radially outward therefrom,

and means to admit fluid under pressure from a common source into all of said expansible bags simultaneously whereby each of said abrading elements may be forced radially outward at the'same time and with substantially uniform force.

2, An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising a rigid core structure, a plurality of abrading element supporting members carried thereby and extending longitudinally thereof at circumferentially spaced positions, a plurality of resilient, fluid impervious, expansible bags mounted on said core structure, each of said bags extending longitudinally between portions of said core structure and one of said abrading element supporting members and each having full length contact on opposite sides with said core structure and the inner surface of said abrading element supporting member, abrading elements carried by each of 6 said abrading element supporting members and extending radially outward therefrom, and means to admit fluid under pressure from a common source into all of said expansible bags simultaneously comprising a running gland having a single inlet and a plurality of outlets each communicating with one of said bags.

3. An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising a rigid core structure, a plurality of abrading element supporting members carried thereby and extending longitudinally thereof at circumferentially spaced positions, a plurality of resilient, fluid impervious, expansible bags mounted on said core structure, each of said bags extending longiing a single inlet and a plurality of outlets each communicating with one of said bags, and

a plurality of spring means to return said abrad" ing elements to their original positions upon re- -lease .4 the fluid pressure.

4. An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising a core structure including a running gland for permitting fluid pressure to be transmitted to the expansible hone from an outside source while-said hone is revolv ing and including a plurality of outlets, radially exte din u ys at each end. of said core structure, a plurality of longitudinally extending tool holders having their ends slidably mounted in said radially extending guideways to be guided thereby for movement radially of said core structure, working tools of the honing stone type ex- .tending longitudinally of each of said tool holders and having their working surfaces protruding radially beyond said core structure, and a plurality of resilient fluid impervious bags, each extending longitudinally of said core structure between a solid portion thereof and one of said I radially movable tool holders, each of said bags including a running gland for permitting fluid pressure to be transmitted to the expansible hone from an outside source while said hone is revolving and including a plurality of outlets, ra-

dially extending guideways at each end of said 7 core structure, a plurality of longitudinally extending tool holders having their'ends slidably mounted in said radially extending guideways to be guided thereby for movement radially of said core structure, working tools of the honing stone type extending longitudinally of each of said tool holders and having their working surfaces protruding radially beyond said core structure, a plurality of resilient fluid impervious bags, each extending longitudinally of said core structure between a solid portion thereof and one of said radially movable tool holders, each of said bags being connected to one of the outlets from said running gland whereby fluid pressure exerted through said running gland may cause movement of said tool holders radially outward to engage the inner surface of a cylindrical bore, and resilient means associated with said tool holders for resisting outward movement of said tool holders and for returning the tool holders to initial position upon release of fluid pressure from said running gland.

6. An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising a core structure including a running gland for permitting fluid pressure to be transmitted to the expansible hone from an outside source while said hone is revolving and including a "plurality of outlets,

radially extending guideways at each end of said core structure, a plurality of longitudinally extending tool holders having their ends elidably mounted in said radially extending guideways to be guided thereby for movement radially of said core structure, working tools of the honing stone type extending longitudinally of each of said tool holders and having their working sur faces protruding radially beyond said core structure, a plurality of resilient fluid impervious bags, each extending longitudinally oi said core structure between a solid. portion thereof and one of said radially movable tool holders, each of said bass being connected to one 0! the outlets from said running gland whereby fluid pressure exerted through said running gland may cause movement of said tool holders radially outward to engage the inner surface of a cylindrical bore, and resilient means associated with said tool holders for resisting outward movement of said tool holders and for returnin the tool holders to initial position upon release of fluid pressure from said running gland, comprising a plurality of garter springs encircling said tool holders.

'7. An expansible hone for use in finishing cylindrical bores comprising tool body and a stem portion for rotating the latter about a pre determined axis, said tool body having a pinrality of open side recesses at circumierentiallv spaced positions laterally of said predetermined axis, an abrading member shiftably mounted in each of said recesses and having an abreding surface adapted to project beyond the lateral extremity of said tool body for operating upon a surface of a cylindrical bore, resilient means yieldabiy urging said abrading members inwardly of said recesses, an expansible fluid receiving member in each of said open side recesses having stem portion for rotating the latter about a pre determined axis, said tool body having a plurality of open side recesses at circumferentially spaced positions laterally of said predetermined axis, an abrading member shiitably mounted in each oi? said recesses and having an abrading surlaceadapted to project beyond the lateral extremity of said tool body for operating upon a surface of a cylindrical bore, resilient means yieldably urging said abrading members inwardly of said recesses, an expansible fluid receiving member in each of said open side recesses hav ing a non rnetallic flexible wall portion bearing upon an extended internal surface portion of the abrading member associated therewith for opposing the action of said resilient means, and means on said tool communicating with all of said expansible fluid receiving members for simultaneousiy and coextensively supplying fluid under pressure thereinto in order uniformly to extend said abrading members at substantially uniform pressure comprising a running gland having an inlet for admission of fluid under pressure and aplurallty of outlets each connected to one oi" said esnansible fluid receiving members.

EAVIQ W lla lCE. 

